Leaf Collection Debated

Lexington’s vacuum truck began collecting leaves this week. It’s the start of a collection period that runs into December. Since leaves don’t necessarily drop on a schedule, city Arborist Rob Allen says setting pick-up times can create a challenge. “We’re trying to impose kind of a calendar deadline on an organic issue. For example, this year we had a drought followed by some pretty cool early fall weather, well that affects the timing of when the leave drops off the tree,” said Allen.

Some members of Lexington’s Council want to move away from the vacuum truck. Instead, they could save 200-thousand dollars and ask property owners to bag their leaves. They could then be collected as yard waste.

“Due to money and logistics, we’ve had to impose kind of a calendar as to when we could get to certain areas, not when the trees are dropping the leaves, it’s when we could do it. Certainly gong with the bag collection and the Lenny waste program would kind of take that hit or miss timing out of it,” added Allen.

For safety and environmental reasons, city Arborist Rob Allen says it’s important to rake leaves to the curb, but not into the street.

“It is a big concerns and it is a safety hazard and also a real water quality issue as far as storm sewers and debris getting into the streams,” said Allen.

Lexington’s leaf vacuum truck will roll along neighborhood streets for a few more weeks.